Part 2- Two
types of Yugas
Part 4 - Textualand epigraphic evidence of Dharma Yuga
All the above parts in a single paper in academia can be downloaded HERE
Yuga Dharma as basis for Human time scale
At several places, after the narration on Divya
Yugas, the narrator switches over the Dharmic levels of different yugas. Dharma
stands on all 4 legs in Krita, on 3 legs in Treta, on 2 legs in Dwapara and on
only one leg in Kali yuga. The entry of a yuga is also known by the symptoms of
degeneration of Dharma. For example, even though the Kali Maha Yuga of the
Devas started after the exit of Krishna, the entry of Kali Purusha was stalled
by Parikshit who allowed only a few sinful
activities to take place. This gives rise to the opinion that (1) the exact
entry date of a yuga is negotiable and (2) dharma is an indicator of yuga.
The entry date of a yuga of the Devas is
non-negotiable as we know from the Sankalpa mantras. But Dharma is not fixed at
all times. It oscillates thereby giving a leeway for a yuga to extend or
retract. Before going into further details, let us know about a major feature
associated with the end of a Divya yuga which is absent in other references to
a switch over form one yuga to another.
This feature is the calamitous end witnessed at the
end of a Yuga.
End of the Yuga – conflicting references.
At several places in Mahabharata we come across a
description of fire, described as universal fire, samvartaka fire or Yuga fire.
(MB 6-59, 7-198) This is also followed by a roar of clouds and universal floods
(MB 7-142). Bheeshma describes a phenomenal fire engulfing all the worlds at
the end of 1000 yugas, that is, at the end of a kalpa (MB 12-47).
Fire and deluge
The nature of fire is deduced from the reference to
2 blazing suns witnessed at the end of a yuga. Whenever two personalities were
afflicted by weapons or in war with each other Mahabharata compares them with
the 2 blazing suns at the end of a yuga.
(1) Krishna and Arjuna, afflicted by the arrows of
Ashwatthama looked like 2 blazing suns seen at the end of a yuga (MB 8-17).
(2) Bheema and Ashvatthama looked so (MB 8-15)
(3) Nakula and Karna looked so (MB 8-24)
(4) Karna and Arjuna looked like 2 planets that
arose for the destruction of the world at the end of the yuga (MB 8-87)
An understanding of what the 2nd sun
stands for is known from the passage that describes the war between
Yudhidhthira and Shalya. The blazing dart hurled by Yudhishthira at Shalya
looked “like a large meteor falling
from the skies at the end of the Yuga.” (MB 9-17)
This solves mystery of 2 suns at the end of the
yuga. One of them is the sun. The other is an asteroid or meteor falling on the
earth. It catches fire on falling and looks like a sun. An asteroid blazing
like a sun must be huge in size and its impact will be felt globally.
This kind of catastrophic end of a yuga is not found
in some other descriptions on the end of yuga!
Smooth transition between yugas.
In the passages describing the advent of Kalki Avatara,
we find a smooth transition from Kali yuga to Krita yuga! There is no yuga fire
or yuga flood or death and destruction at the end of this Kali yuga. Instead
there is reference to reclamation of values and ethics thereby heralding the
Krita yuga. The destruction is only of those that are causing the decay in
Dharma.
Vishnu Purana 3-2 says, “ ..at the end of
the Kali or fourth age he (Vishnu) appears as Kalki, and reestablishes the iniquitous in the paths of rectitude.”
Vishnu Purana 4-24 says, “By his irresistible
might he (Kalki) will
destroy all the Mlechchhas and thieves, and all whose minds are
devoted to iniquity. He will then reestablish
righteousness upon earth; and the minds of those
who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and
shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed
by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings,
and shall give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, or age of
purity.”
The same is
echoed in Mahabharata in the words of sage Markandeya to
Yudhsihthira (MB 3-189-190). He says that at the end of Kali yuga, Kalki will be born and
“he will restore order and peace in this world
crowded with creatures and contradictory in its course. And that blazing Brahmana of mighty intellect,
having appeared, will destroy all things. And he
will be the Destroyer of all, and will inaugurate a new Yuga. And surrounded by the Brahmanas,
that Brahmana will exterminate all the mlecchas
wherever those low and despicable persons may take refuge.
Having exterminated the thieves and
robbers, Kalki will, at a great Horse-sacrifice, duly give away this
earth to the Brahmanas, and having established anew the blessed rectitude
ordained by the Self-create, Kalki, of sacred deeds and illustrious
reputation, will enter a delightful forest, and the people of this earth will
imitate his conduct, and when the Brahmanas will have exterminated
the thieves and robbers, there will be prosperity everywhere on earth.”
The entire basis of this transition is DHARMA!
Basis of Yuga Dharma
The transgression of Dharma had happened many times
in the past leading to overlapping of yugas. How was order restored in those
times? A question similar to this was raised by Yudhishthira to Bheeshma in
Mahabharata 12-139. In reply to this, Bheeshma quotes a dialogue between
Sauvira king Satrunjaya and sage Bharadwaja.
Sauvira belongs to the Sindhu (Indus) region – the
region that is now proved beyond doubt to have been a manufacturing and trading
hub at the time of and after Mahabharata. Interestingly true to the nature of
this region, Satrunjaya asked about the science of Profit! The questions
included everything connected with trade, like acquiring an object, increasing
the object, protecting the object and using the object leading to the
generation of profits. How to get them all done? Bharadwaja’s reply is simple –
establishment of the rod of chastisement of the king!
When the king is Dharmic, everything will fall in
line.
100% of it
makes Krita yuga, 3/4th of it makes Treta yuga, ½ of it makes Dwapara
yuga and ¼ th of it makes Kali yuga.
Ruler / king decides the Yuga.
Following are the references to Yuga being decided
by the conduct (dharma) of the king (and therefore the people).
'O bull of Bharata's race,
that Krita, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali, as regards their
setting in, are all dependent
on the king's conduct.' (MB: Shanti parva -140)
'Whether it is the king that makes the
age, or, it is the age that makes the king, is a question about which thou
shouldst not entertain any doubt. The truth is
that the king makes the
age. The king is the creator of
the Krita age, of the Treta, and of the Dwapara. The king is the cause of the fourth age
called Kali. ' (MB:
Shanti parva – 68)
'When the king properly abides by the penal code,
without making any portion of it a dead letter, then that best of periods
called the Krita Yuga sets
in. Let not this doubt be thine, viz,
whether the era is the cause of the king, or the king the cause of the era, for
know this to be certain that the king is the cause of the era. It is the king that creates the Krita,
the Treta, or the Dwapara age. Indeed, it is the king that is the cause of also the fourth Yuga
viz, the Kali' Kunti (MB: Udhyoga parva
-132)
“The king is the lord and father of the whole universe.
He is time, he is Yuga and
he is the creation, mobile and immobile. He is called Dharma because he holdeth all. It is Dharma that
upholdeth all mankind. It is by Dharma that the three worlds are being
preserved”. (Valmiki
Ramayana: 7-71)
In Kali yuga, the rule of law or Dharma is established
by Kalki, thereby ushering in Krita yuga.
One must remember that this yuga scale is applicable to Bharata varsha ONLY (MB 6-10).
The Divya yuga measurement of time with destruction
and deluge is applicable to the whole world at the end of each yuga and to the
solar system at the end of Kalpa. But the cyclical repetition of 4 yugas
measured by Dharma is applicable to Bharata varsha only. Every time a
transgression of Dharma takes place Bhagawan appears (avatara) in this land
only. The identification of a yuga in
terms of Dharma is reiterated by Narada, Hanuman, Vyasa and Markandeya among
others which can be read in the Itihasas.
Treta yuga of Ramayana
The most important question is when did Treta Yuga of Ramayana happen?
Instant answer is that it did not happen lakh years
ago as that scale pertains to Divya Yuga of the Devas and Brahma (galactic).
Thoughtful answer is that it happened some time
before Krishnavatara when Dharma was 3/4th of what was in Krita
yuga. Some notable features of this yuga are - there is no untimely death of
kids, food is produced with little effort (like not breaking the earth but by
sprinkling the seeds), kings are engaged in yajnas, presence of many Vedas, Brahmins
and kshatriyas practicing emancipation etc. However overlap of yugas is
reported in the Treta Yuga of Ramayana. Two such instances are found in Treta
yuga that give us a better perspective on how the yugas were identified by our
ancestors and sages.
Krita and Kali in the Treta Yuga of Rama.
War clouds had reached Lanka and Malyavan, the
maternal grandfather of Ravana tried to convince Ravana to call for a truce
with Rama. In that context Malyavan talks about Yugas being formed by Dharma!
He says that Dharma is on the side of ‘suras’ and ‘mahatman’
(high- souled Devas). Adharma is on the side of ‘asuras’ (demons) (VR:6-35-13)
When Dharma swallows Adharma, it becomes Krita yuga; when Adharma
swallows Dharma, it stimulates Kali yuga. (VR: 6-35-14)
Therefore, while you (Ravana) were wandering in the
worlds, Dharma was destroyed and you favoured Adharma. So the enemies are
stronger than us. (VR: 6-35-15)
These 3 verses imply that in the period of Ravana,
Kali yuga has appeared because Adharma was favoured by him as a king. When the
king (ruler) is adharmic, the yuga is that of Kali. Though it was Treta Yuga, Kali had entered by the acts of Ravana.
But once he was over powered by Rama and Dharma was
restored, that moment was Krita yuga.
Once Rama ascended
to throne, it was Treta yuga dharma in place. Presence of 1/4th of
Adharma in that period can be ascertained from many instances found in Uttara
khanda which describe the rule of Rama. As an example, one can quote the
suffering caused to a dog by a Brahman in penury (VR: 7- 70 & 71)
Krita in Treta yuga of Janaka.
There is reference to Krita yuga during the rule of
Janaka of Mithila who was the father-in-law of Rama. This finds mention in
Mahabharata (12-308) in a dialogue between Janaka and Sulabha, a bhikshuki
about emancipation. Mahabharata says, ‘atha dharmayuge’ – in that Dharma yuga,
referring to Krita yuga where Dharma is full.
The reason for this reference to the yuga of Janaka
is known from the context where this appears. Yudhishthira asks Bheeshma
whether there was anyone who attained emancipation without abandoning the
domestic mode of life (Grahasthasrama). In reply Bheeshma picks out Janaka and
starts the narration by referring to his yuga as Krita or Dharma yuga.
In Krita yuga there was no differentiation between
ashramas and all Brahmins were engaged in emancipation. In Treta Yuga the
ashrama differences have appeared and kshatriyas were entitled to seek emancipation.
But that can happen only in the last two stages of Ashramas and not in the
householder phase. But Janaka, though engaged in kingly duties and householder’s
duties behaved like one from Krita yuga where these differences were nil.
Janaka’s endeavour for emancipation finds a special mention in Bhagawad Gita
also. His practice was that of one in Krita yuga.
This incident shows how pockets of other yugas can
happen with reference to individuals. The previous case involving Malyavan
shows how other yugas occur for regions when dharma is transgressed by the king.
Treta in Dwapara yuga.
Similar kind of overlap is reported in Mahabharata
wherein sage Lomasa identifies a place in the river Yamuna as a junction of
Treta yuga and Dwapara yuga. (MB: 3-125) The Dharma of the running yuga was
Dwapara. But Treta was also noticed at that place. Looking for hints in those
passages we do come across references to availability of food without effort
and sacrifices done by kshatriyas like Mandhata. These two features are those
of Treta yuga. The surroundings brimming with the flora is that of Treta. That
continued till the times of Pandavas of Dwapara yuga when they visited that
place. Sage Lomasa had identified that place as one where Treta and Dwapara
co-existed.
Another reference of a similar kind is also found in
Mahabharata reinforcing the idea that Yuga was identified on the basis of
Dharma and there is scope for overlapping of yugas.
Kali in Treta Yuga.
In a holy spot in the region of river Narmada, sage
Lomasa identifies a junction of Treta and Kali yuga (MB: 3-121) The narration
takes place in Dwapara yuga and therefore Dharma had not yet declined to the level
of Kali yuga then. But in that location, Kali yuga had overlapped with Treta
yuga -the yuga that was supposed to be more Dharmic than Dwapara. The context
lays bare the reasons for this reference.
In that place a Brahmin sage by name Chyavana was
doing penance and the Kshatriya king Saryati was conducting many yajnas. These
two practices are typical of Treta Yuga. The penance of Chayavana was so severe
that an anthill covered him in due course. At that time the King Saryati with
his family was camping at that place. The king’s daughter Sukanya was happily playing
around. Everything is perfect. But the sage happened to see her through the
gaps in the ant hill and kept watching her with lust and without her knowledge.
This is Kali yuga Dharma! Kali had sprung in Treta yuga here.
The story goes further which can be read in
Mahabharata. For our understanding another incident also happened here. Sukanya
who was by now Chyavana’s wife had gone to fetch water. There she was spotted by
the Aswin brothers who desired her even after coming to know that she was a
married woman. Thus grave adhramic actions that are characteristic of Kali yuga
were happening in Treta yuga at that location.
With all these, why that location and era came to be
known as Treta Yuga? The reason is that even with all the transgressions that had
happened, Dharma of the measure of Treta yuga was restored soon. Aswins
regained their composure and Chayavana did a break-through yajna in which for
the first time Aswins were offered Soma. Such an event can happen only in Treta
Yuga.
Dwapara in kali yuga.
The overlap happened even in recent times of Kali
yuga. The Vaishnavite text called ‘3000-padi Guru parampara prabhavam’
identifies four Azhwars of the Vaishnavite
tradition as belonging to Dwapara yuga. Other Azhwars were born in Kali Yuga.
But it is well known from one of hymns of the four Azhwars (of Dwapara yuga),
that they had lived in the former centuries of the Common Era under
Pallava-rule.
One of the four Azhwars, by name Bhoothataazhwar
specifically mentions about ‘Maamallai’ (olden name for Mahabalipuram) in his
hymn (2nd Tiruvandhathi – 70). This name came into being only after
the Pallava king. So it is very clear that this Azhwar and the other three who
were his contemporaries had lived during Pallava reign in the present Kali
Yuga. But why then the Acharya had written that they belonged to Dwapara yuga?
The only plausible explanation is that the reign of
the Pallava king was more Dharmic with ½ in its fold as in Dwapara. Since the
tradition is to identify by means of legs of Dharma, they have been identified
as being born in Dwapara yuga.
